


Three Years

by DubiousSparrow



Series: River Town [13]
Category: Raven Cycle - Maggie Stiefvater
Genre: Adam Parrish Loves Ronan Lynch, Adam Parrish is Bad at Feelings, Adoption, Alternate Universe, Established Relationship, Foster Care, Kid Fic, M/M, Married Couple, Ronan Lynch Loves Adam Parrish, but he's getting a lot better
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-27
Updated: 2020-11-28
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:55:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,927
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27742600
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DubiousSparrow/pseuds/DubiousSparrow
Summary: As Ronan and Adam approach their three-year anniversary, much has changed in their life.  There’s still something missing, though.
Relationships: Ronan Lynch/Adam Parrish
Series: River Town [13]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1775125
Comments: 34
Kudos: 97





	1. The Bookshop

**Author's Note:**

> I seem to think in _three’s._
> 
> [ No Time at All ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24559336) is three weeks into their relationship. 
> 
> [ Three Months ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24643519) is, well, yeah, you guessed it.
> 
> And here we are three years after their wedding.

Ronan locked the heavy wooden door of The Raven, and gazed down the winding hill toward the river. He could see the lights slowly going out in the bookshop a few blocks down, and began to make his way to the corner where he would wait for Adam to join him.

So much had changed in the three years since they’d gotten married.

Two years before, their landlord had called to let them know he was putting the house on the market, and they would need to renew their lease with whomever bought it, provided the new owner wanted to keep renting out the two apartments. Persephone had taken it as a sign from the universe that it was time to move in with Calla, and Calla had grumpily suggested that _she’d_ heard what the universe was saying ages ago, and that it was about damned time.

Ronan and Adam had talked it over, and decided that they couldn’t imagine leaving the home where they’d started their life together. They immediately put in a generous offer, and were homeowners within the week. Over the next year they knocked down walls, and turned the two apartments back into a single-family home. Their old bedroom was now a proper dining room, and they would throw open the French doors on warm summer nights and invite their friends over for long, leisurely dinners.

Their bedroom was now on the second floor and looked out over the rooftops to the river beyond. From their bed they could watch the sun set and the geese wing their way north.

And then a year ago Adam had been offered his dream job – Partner at his prestigious law firm. Everything he’d been working toward, everything he’d believed would make him happy. The thing that would mean he’d finally made it.

He turned it down.

And quit the next day.

From the outside it seemed a rash and inexplicable decision. Gansey had been struck dumb with shock when they told him, while Blue had given Adam a proud fist bump.

Ronan hadn’t been surprised in the least. He knew that Adam’s discontent had been building for months. They’d been talking about it frequently, often in the middle of the night when Ronan would roll over and find his husband missing. He could usually be found in the backyard gazing up at the sky, or sitting in the kitchen staring into a mug of tea. Thinking. Always thinking.

Ronan had fully supported his decision to leave, even without knowing what his next step would be. Adam’s happiness was his only concern, and he had watched him become increasingly troubled by the direction the senior partners were taking the firm. Adam didn’t believe in what he was doing anymore, and grew increasingly sure that it was time to make a change. A real change.

When Gray Books went up for sale, it had felt right. The bookshop was where Adam spent time when he wanted to be alone. When he wanted to escape from the world for a few hours. Ronan didn’t mind. They had been together long enough that they didn’t begrudge each other their own time and space. For Ronan it was taking long runs along the old Aqueduct trail into neighboring towns, and for Adam it was burrowing into an armchair in the back of the bookstore and losing himself in a novel. 

Adam had struck up a friendly rapport with the owner, Dean Allen. When they’d met he’d mistakenly called him Mr. Gray, assuming he’d named the store after himself. When Dean had politely corrected him, Adam had asked why he’d chosen the name, and Dean had smiled and said that nothing worth reading was black and white – the good stuff was always gray. And then he’d sighed and added, “And I named it before that godforsaken book came out.”

Adam was the first person Dean told when he decided to sell the shop, and Adam had immediately jogged up the hill to the bar to talk to Ronan about it. He _wanted_ this. He wanted to stop spending his life on a train. He wanted to stop wasting his days arguing, _always arguing._ He wanted to live and work in the small, close-knit community he’d come to love.

Ronan agreed before Adam even got the entire sentence out of his mouth.

_Dean is selling the shop and I think I want to…_

_Yes, do it. Do it, Parrish!_

Adam had changed very little about the store once he took ownership. He liked it as it was. It was where he’d bought Ronan their copy of _Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland_ , back when there relationship was still new. Ronan still kept it on his bedside table.

He’d hired Henry on part-time, and found that his flair for social media benefited not just the store, but the entire town’s economy. Gray Books became something of a pilgrimage for Manhattan dwellers looking to spend an afternoon roaming the tightly packed shelves. Many would cross the street to Calla’s yarn store for a tarot reading, and end their day with a drink at The Raven. 

Ronan had bemoaned what he considered the hipster invasion of his beloved town, but the bar hadn’t been this profitable in years. Adam reminded him that they were no longer suckling at the corporate teat, and he could damn well deal with a few instagram posts, and a few more beards floating around than usual if it meant they could pay their bills. He sulked for a week, but he got over it.

Ronan stopped at the turn onto their quiet, dead-end street. He watched Adam lock the door to the shop, and make his way up the hill toward him. He was smiling. Ronan had been noticing how differently his husband carried himself these days – his shoulders no longer stooped, and there was a new, energetic cadence in his step.

Ronan’s favorite thing about this new stage of their life was the amount of time they could spend together now. Working just down the street from each other meant they could have lunch together nearly every day – sometimes at the bar, and sometimes Ronan would bring food to the bookstore. They’d eat together in the backroom – the backroom that had a very comfortable couch – and if that sometimes led to Ronan being late getting back to the bar, so be it.

Ronan was in heaven.

For the most part.

There was still a piece missing.


	2. Armadillo Girl

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Armadillo girl first pops up briefly in [ this story ](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27265717). Did I know what I was doing at the time? Was this all part of a master plan? Um, sure, let’s say yes. [lying, very much lying]

Ronan woke up after Adam had already left for the day. He’d closed the bar the night before and needed the extra sleep. He had a vague recollection of Adam uncovering his face buried under the duvet and kissing him goodbye that morning. Ronan gave himself a few moments to enjoy the warmth of the bed, and the memory of the kiss, before finally rousing himself. He showered and dressed, planning out his day.

When he went downstairs to make himself a late breakfast he noticed Adam’s phone sitting on the counter. He wondered idly if he’d noticed it missing yet. Adam would never have forgotten his phone a year ago – it was in his hand at all times, on constant alert for work emails. These days he forgot it half the time, and Ronan found himself in the novel role of phone nag – reminding Adam to charge and carry it. Adam always smirked at the role reversal. Ronan was starting to suspect Adam was “forgetting” his phone purposefully just to give Ronan a taste of his own medicine.

He pocketed Adam’s phone and grabbed some leftovers out of their fridge. He could kill two birds with one stone.

**

Adam looked up as the bell over the shop’s door tinkled.

“You’ll never guess what you forgot…” Ronan drawled sarcastically.

Adam grinned, “Huh, I didn’t even notice. What a good husband you are to bring it to me.”

“I’m the fucking _best_ husband. I also brought lunch.”

Adam’s eyes lit up, “The leftover Thai food?”

Ronan tossed the bag on the counter gracelessly, “You want to eat out here or in the back?”

“Out here. Henry called in sick.”

“More like he called in hung-over. He and Blue got into the Sambuca last night.”

Adam grimaced, “Ugh. Why?”

Ronan shrugged, “Why do they do anything? I have no fucking clue.”

Adam leaned over the counter and kissed him, “Hey, keep the f-bombs to a minimum, there’s a kid reading in the back.”

Ronan leaned back and peered between the cramped shelves to the back of the shop. There was a young girl curled in the armchair in the corner. He saw blond hair peeking out from underneath a black skullcap, and her small hands clutched an oversized book of fairy tales.

“Armadillo girl!” Ronan yelled gleefully, pointing at her in recognition.

The girl lowered the book and blinked owlishly at him, then raised the book again, clearly intent on ignoring this interruption.

Adam tapped him on the shoulder and Ronan turned, “ _Armadillo girl_? Are you heckling children now?”

Ronan huffed, “NO. That’s the girl who dresses like an armadillo every Halloween.” He continued under his breath so she wouldn’t hear him, “It’s fuckin’ metal.”

Adam laughed and shook his head, “You found your true soul mate, and she’s ten… and also really trying to ignore you.”

Ronan shrugged his shoulders, “I’m an acquired taste. She’ll come around.” He joined Adam behind the counter and started unpacking their lunch (or rather his breakfast). “How do you know she’s ten? She’s tiny for ten.”

“Her mom brought her in earlier and asked if it was OK for her to hang out here on her own. She’s across the street at a knitting lesson. ‘Armadillo Girl’ as you so charmingly call her, no doubt scarring her for life, is named Opal.”

Ronan spoke around a mouthful of noodles, “I prefer Armadillo Girl.”

“I don’t,” a soft but determined voice came from behind the shelf of travel books next to the counter. Adam stood so he could see over it, and saw the girl standing there, gripping the book of fairy tales.

“Ignore him, Opal. He’s an idiot.”

“Hey!” Ronan argued.

Opal smirked and set the book on the counter, “Do you have any zombie books?”

Ronan leaned over to Adam and muttered under his breath, “See? _Metal_.”

**

Opal’s mother began dropping her off at the bookshop a couple afternoons a week while she had her knitting lessons. Adam didn’t mind – Opal was quiet and well behaved, and she always had a new, unique reading request. After zombies had come deep-sea creatures, Amelia Earhart, and volcanoes. He and Ronan had started trying to figure out what the through-line in her varied interests could possibly be. 

That night as they climbed into bed, Ronan offered his latest theory, “She thinks Amelia Earhart’s plane went down in the ocean, where she was bitten by a zombie octopus, and has been shuffling across the sea floor towards the East Coast ever since.”

“And the volcanoes?” Adam asked, unconvinced.

“The only way to kill a zombie turned by an octopus is to throw them into a volcano. Obviously.”

“Obviously,” Adam agreed, turning off the light, “Couldn’t possibly be stuff she’s studying in school.”

Ronan snorted, “They don’t cover zombies until high school, Parrish, she’s way too young.”

They lay in comfortable silence, their eyes adjusting to the darkness. Ronan rolled over and wrapped his arms around Adam, pulling him closer. Adam sighed contentedly and pressed his back to Ronan’s chest.

“I talked to Dec today,” Ronan said quietly.

“Mmmhm,” Adam responded, already drifting off.

“He knows a woman who consults with families who want to adopt… helps them with all the paperwork and shit…” Ronan’s voice was soft in Adam’s ear.

Adam was suddenly very much awake.

Over the past few years they’d talked about starting their family, but it had always been phrased as an “in the future” thing. Something that would happen in time. And then there were the renovations to the house, and Adam’s career change, and, well, they hadn’t really talked about it in awhile.

Adam rolled over in Ronan’s arms and nudged his nose into his collarbone. He was quiet for a bit, letting Ronan’s words sink in.

Ronan was patient. He knew this was how his husband processed certain things. Quietly and slowly. While Ronan knew immediately how he felt about everything – his emotions as clear to him as if they were written in black ink – Adam was different. He’d grown up so divorced from his feelings, that even now he had to sit with them for a bit, carefully identifying and cataloging them before he felt comfortable expressing them. It had been a source of contention early in their relationship, Ronan not understanding Adam’s reserve, mistaking it at times for coldness.

But he’d grown to understand that Adam’s heart and brain were just connected _differently_ than his were – the road between them a rockier journey. They’d both learned how to deal with it. Adam learned to resist his knee-jerk instinct to shut down in the face of a strong emotion, to be dismissive of it. And Ronan learned to give him time to catch up, to not force a response out of him.

They lay quietly together, Adam thinking and Ronan gently stroking his back, lips resting on his forehead.

“Do you think we’re ready…? Adam asked.

Ronan contemplated his answer, “I know I’m ready, and I think that you are too, but I understand if you need some time to be sure.”

Adam hummed into Ronan’s chest, “I don’t want to be the one who stands in the way.”

Ronan pulled back so he could see Adam’s eyes, “You’re not standing in the way. Adoption is fucking _hard_ , and it can take a long time. We both have to be completely on board. And I can wait if you need some more time.”

Adam looked in Ronan’s eyes and saw that he meant it – he would give Adam as much time as he needed and never make him feel guilty about it. 

Somehow that alone made the answer crystal clear.

“I want to have a kid with you. I want to do this. Now. Tomorrow. Let’s call that consultant tomorrow.”

Ronan’s face broke into a grin, “Yeah?”

Adam answered by climbing on top of him and straddling his hips. He grabbed Ronan’s face and kissed him deeply, “Let’s start our family.”


	3. Captain Paperwork

Ronan had been right about what a long and difficult process lay before them. Paperwork, interviews, background checks, home visits. Adam read through the packet of information the consultant had sent over. 

Ronan had taken one look at the thickness of the folder and blanched, and Adam had grabbed his hand and squeezed it, “Hey, I’m still a lawyer, remember? I got this.”

Ronan had looked at him with grateful eyes, “You sure…?”

“I’m sure we can come to a mutually satisfying exchange of goods and/or services… probably services…”

Ronan smirked, “Watch your mouth, Captain Paperwork. None of that shit when we get interviewed by the social worker.”

Adam looked at him with innocent eyes, “I’m sure I don’t know what you’re implying. I meant services like cooking… and foot rubs… and washing the shitbox.”

“Speaking of which, we are _not_ letting the adoption people know about that deathtrap. They’ll never give us a kid.”

“Agreed.”

**

True to his word, Adam navigated them through the adoption process until they’d reached the point where all they could do was wait. They’d agreed that they would be open to any child that needed them, but the bureaucratic wheels still turned slowly. Summer turned to Fall, and Ronan tried to let go of the hope in his chest that they would have a child by the holidays. Despite his best efforts he still found himself daydreaming of hanging three stockings that year, of a tree with a giant pile of presents beneath it, of leaving cookies for Santa and carrots for the reindeer the way his parents had done.

He shook the thoughts from his head as he pulled open the door to the bookshop.

“Hi Ronan!” a voice chirped from somewhere in the maze of bookshelves.

“Opal?”

“Up here!” Ronan followed her voice and found her perched high on the book ladder, shelving history books.

“Should she be up there?” he asked Henry, who was handing the books up to her.

“Well, _I’m_ not going up there, and she needs to earn her keep somehow…” Henry shrugged.

“Does Parrish know you’ve got a child labor thing happening?” Ronan cocked his head.

“I do,” Adam responded, emerging from the back room, “and it’s not child labor because she likes it and we don’t pay her. And also her mom said it’s fine.”

Opal climbed down the ladder and jumped from the third rung, landing with a thud, “ _Foster_ mom.”

“Sorry, foster mom.”

At first Adam hadn’t fully understood why Opal always corrected everyone about that, and had guessed it was because she’d been through several families already, and was careful about getting attached. He figured he’d be the same way in her position. And once he'd gotten to know Opal's foster mother better, he'd understood Opal's reticence even more. 

He remembered asking the woman if they had plans to adopt Opal. She’d hesitated before shaking her head.

_She’s a great kid but my husband’s job is… unstable. We don’t feel like we can make a permanent commitment yet._

Adam had bit his tongue. He wanted to argue that they’d already made a commitment to Opal, and how could they conceive of ever giving her up? But he’d nodded and kept silent, his fingernails digging into his palms. The words he couldn’t say played out in his head.

_Don’t you see how amazing she is?_

_How smart she is?_

_How funny?_

_And how lucky you are to have her?_

Opal pulled Adam back to the present as she handed him a stack of books, “You _could_ pay me. You know I’m much better at shelving than Henry…” Opal mused, wheeling the ladder back into its spot in the corner.

Adam huffed a laugh, “Nice try, O. This has become more of a long-term, unpaid babysitting situation, and you know it.”

Ronan clapped Henry on the back, “Yeah, and we really appreciate you watching Cheng out of the goodness of your heart.”

Opal rolled her eyes, “Whatever.” 

She bit her lip and looked up at Adam hesitantly, her voice getting quieter, “Um… I actually wanted to tell you… since, you know, you’ve come to rely on me…” Adam arched an eyebrow at her, but she continued, “…we’re not going to be living here much longer.”

Ronan met Adam’s eyes and Adam gave an almost imperceptible shake of his head – it was the first he’d heard about it.

“You’re moving?” Henry asked, “You can’t move, you’re our mascot! Now we’re going to have to get a cat… or a turtle or something…”

Ronan shoved Henry’s shoulder, “I mean, we love you!”

Opal bit her lip, “Well, I think it’s still a secret so you guys can’t say anything… but I heard my foster parents talking last night, and it sounds like my foster dad is getting transferred for his job. And it’s in Germany.”

Ronan furrowed his brow, “You’re moving to Germany?” He looked over at Adam and saw that the blood had drained from his face, “…Parrish, are you OK?”

Adam cleared his throat, “Yeah, I’m fine… sorry… you’re _sure_ they said Germany? Not like, Germantown or something like that…?”

Opal shook her head, “I’m positive they said Germany. I don’t know, could be interesting, right?” She reached out and grabbed Adam’s hand who still looked troubled, “I’m gonna really miss you guys though, and the shop. I’ve never had a place like this before… and you guys are…” she trailed off and Ronan saw that she had tears in her eyes. 

He grabbed her skullcap off her head, and mussed her hair, trying to break the tension of the moment, “We’re gonna miss you too, Armadillo Girl. You got your costume ready yet? Halloween is around the corner.”

She wiped her eyes and giggled, “Yep, it’s all ready to go. Oh, there’s my foster mom outside – gotta go! Remember, don’t tell anybody about the move!” Opal grabbed her backpack and raced out the door.

The second it closed Ronan moved to Adam’s side, and put his hand on his arm, “I’m going to miss her too, but you look like someone died.”

Adam looked at Ronan with pained eyes, “Foster families can’t just _move out of the country with their foster kids_ , Ronan. Fostering is basically co-parenting with the state. Opal could be going back into the system…”

Ronan’s eyes widened, “Or they could be adopting her, though, right?”

Adam shrugged his shoulders helplessly, “ _Maybe_? But I really doubt it.”

Adam jumped when Ronan turned and punched the bookshelf in front of him. His shoulders were tense.

Adam picked up Ronan’s hand, and kissed his knuckles, “I know.”

**

Adam called their social worker Hannah the next morning and explained the situation.

He hadn’t told Ronan what he’d lain awake mulling over the night before – he didn’t want to get his hopes up. She assured him that what they’d done to become certified to adopt – the background checks, the medical clearances, the home visits – could all be transferred over to becoming foster parents. Hannah agreed that it would be the smoothest way for Opal to transition into their care, since a formal adoption could take months – months that she would spend in a foster home who knows where. She ended the call promising to fast-track their foster application, and to reach out to Opal’s caseworker informally to see if any wheels had started turning on that end.

Adam breathed a sigh of relief as he hung up the phone. It could all be for nothing – Opal could be wrong about the move, or her foster parents could be filing the adoption paperwork at that very moment, but for once he knew what his gut was telling him.

_She’s our child._

_She just… is._

He pressed his fists into his eyes until he saw spots. 

This had to work.


	4. Turtle-Rabbits

Ronan emptied the bag of candy into a bowl and set it by the door. Declan and Jordan had just left with Aurora and Hennessy to trick-or-treat in the village. This year Aurora had dressed as a Dementor, and Hen as Chainsaw, which she explained to anyone who suggested she was just any old black cat.

_I’m a very specific black cat. See the tiny white spot on my left paw? That’s on purpose!_

He set aside the extra-large candy bar that he’d bought for Opal. He felt something hard lodge in his throat when he tried to swallow. This might be the last Halloween that Armadillo Girl would come to their door.

He was going to miss her like crazy. He worried, though, that her absence was going to hit Adam even harder. She’d become such a fixture in the bookshop. Now when he brought Adam lunch on the weekend, he brought enough for her as well. The shop was where she went everyday after school, finishing her homework behind the counter. Adam corrected her spelling, and she always made sure to have some new bizarre fact to share. Ronan noticed that she’d stopped talking about Germany. He’d asked Adam if the move was off, and Adam had looked away, “She hasn’t said anything.”

Ronan turned on the porch light and switched on the TV, settling on an old familiar movie that he wouldn’t mind missing bits and pieces of as he answered the door throughout the evening. He rested his head against the back of the couch and waited for Adam to get home.

**

Ronan had flat out asked about Germany, and Adam had frozen.

But he hadn’t lied. Opal really _hadn’t_ said anything about it. What Adam knew was through back channels. Hannah had confirmed that, yes, Opal’s foster parents had made the state aware that they would be moving abroad, and ending their foster arrangement. The next step was to find a new placement for Opal, and she assured him that their application was at the top of the pile, and would be given special attention since they already knew Opal, and could give her the stability of staying in the same town and the same school. It was a unique situation, but not unheard of. 

Adam was doing his best to keep his expectations low. It wasn’t definite yet. He wasn’t allowed to say anything to Opal, but he was starting to think he needed to talk to Ronan. As he walked home from the shop, skirting around Pokémon characters and what he was pretty sure was a tiny Ruth Bader Ginsburg, he thought about how to broach the subject. 

“ _Surprise, it’s a girl!_ ” didn’t feel like a great idea.

He practiced the conversation in his head as he climbed the steps to their home. 

Ronan swung open the front door with a grin and pointed at him, “Let me guess. You’re a … nerd!”

Adam cocked his head to the side and gave him a bored look, “And you’re a man not getting laid tonight.”

Ronan held the bowl of candy out to him and raised his eyebrows.

“You can’t buy my affections with Kit Kats, Lynch.”

Ronan huffed a laugh, “We both know that’s not true…” He kissed Adam hello and led him into the living room where they plopped on the couch together. “You ready for the parade of tiny beggars?” He handed Adam one of the glasses of wine he’d poured.

Adam took a sip and leaned against Ronan’s shoulder, “Ready. Opal told me she’s making the rounds with some school friends, they wanted to do a group thing, but she was adamant about sticking with the armadillo costume. So if anyone asks, there is _definitely_ an armadillo in the Marvel cinematic universe.”

Ronan choked on his wine, “Noted.”

“You know,” Adam ventured hesitantly, “I think she feels as strongly as she does about being the armadillo again this year because she knows how much you like it… she really adores you.”

Ronan’s face fell, “She’s not just doing it for me though, right? I want her to have whatever costume she wants!”

“No, no, no,” Adam put his hand on Ronan’s chest, “I’m not saying that. She likes that it’s something you guys _both_ like. It’s a bond – a weird bond, but a bond. And you know how she likes to collect little factoids? She said she’s got a few armadillo-related ones for you tonight.”

Ronan cleared his throat, and looked away. Adam could see that he was trying to compose himself. It was time to tell him.

“Ro…?”

Ronan wiped at his eyes surreptitiously, and turned back to him, “Yeah. I’m OK.”

“Ronan, there’s something I’ve been working on, something I haven’t wanted to tell you about until the time was right, and now I think you need to know.”

Adam had Ronan’s complete attention. 

He swallowed another gulp of wine and continued, “I’ve been talking to Hannah about Opal’s situation, and there’s a _possibility_ that we could foster her. And start the adoption process... but it’s not a sure thing yet!”

Ronan’s jaw dropped. His voice came out a hoarse whisper, “Are you serious?”

Adam nodded, “Yeah, I mean, it looks good, but Hannah was very clear that we shouldn’t count on anything until we get the final approvals – things happen. And we’re not allowed to tell Opal. We can’t get her hopes up.”

Ronan was nodding vigorously, “Yeah, no, of course not – oh my god, Parrish!” He threw his arms around Adam and hugged him tightly, “I can’t believe you! Why wouldn’t you tell me sooner? Jesus!”

Adam let out a relieved laugh, “I was scared to get your hopes up! And I guess… I was scared to get _my_ hopes up, too.”

Ronan let out a deep, relieved sigh and pulled back so he could look in Adam’s eyes, “This feels right, though, doesn’t it?”

“It really does. She feels like ours already.”

Ronan touched Adam’s cheek and smiled. Then his face twisted into panic, “Oh, fuck, how are we supposed to see her tonight and act _normal_?”

“Now you know how hard the past couple weeks have been for me!” Adam exclaimed. “I couldn’t tell either of you!”

“Jesus, Parrish, you could go into the fucking CIA if ‘mild-mannered bookshop owner’ doesn’t pan out.”

“How do you know that ‘mild-mannered bookshop owner’ isn’t just my cover?” he asked, lifting an eyebrow.

“Don’t even joke about that. I would _literally_ believe anything right now.”

The doorbell rang and Adam turned and saw a familiar face grinning through the front window, long plastic claws tapping on the glass.

“Showtime, Lynch.”

**

“So, Parrish tells me you have some armadillo facts for me, midget. Wow me,” Ronan crossed his arms and tried not to smile. Adam rolled his eyes at the display.

Opal mirrored Ronan’s stance as best she could – awkwardly crossing her arms over her gray plastic chestplate. Iron Man, Black Widow, and Captain America looked on.

“Fact One: Armadillo means ‘Little Armored One’ in Spanish.”

Ronan arched an eyebrow, “OK, I like that one. Don’t know if it deserves the BIG candy bar. What else you got?”

Opal grinned, “Fact Two: When they’re surprised, armadillos can jump up to four feet straight up in the air!”

Ronan scoffed, “Big, if true.”

“It’s true!” Opal exclaimed, appalled that anyone would doubt her facts, “OK, I saved this one for last because it’s my favorite…”

“Lay it on me,” Ronan affected a bored expression.

“The Aztecs called them _turtle-rabbits,_ ” she looked up at Ronan expectantly, and put out her hand.

He pretended to ponder this for a moment and then slapped the giant candy bar into her palm, “Turtle-rabbit clinched it.” He smiled at her and she grinned back up at him.

Adam threw the lesser candy in the other kids’ buckets and they all ran off into the night, calling their thanks over their shoulders, and laughing about armored turtle-rabbits.

Ronan turned to him, his eyes filling, “This has to happen.”


	5. Family

They spent the week trying to think and talk about _literally anything else_ , and failing miserably.

Everything seemed to lead back to Opal. Adam tried to keep acting normally around her, but it was increasingly difficult. It had become apparent that she was now fully aware she was not going to Germany. And she didn’t know where she would end up next.

She was being left behind.

When she told Adam he’d hugged her and let her cry into his chest, gasping sobs that ripped his heart in half. He came as close as he ever had to telling her what he and Ronan were trying to do, but they’d signed legal papers. They couldn’t tell her without risking the entire thing.

Since that day he’d treaded carefully around the topic, sticking to talk of school and what she was reading, and telling her silly stories about Ronan and Chainsaw, trying to make her smile. When her foster mother picked her up, he couldn’t meet her eye, managing a stiff nod of his head when she thanked him for looking after Opal.

The call came on Thursday morning. Adam was alone in the shop – Henry had the day off, and Opal was at school. Ronan was up at the bar.

His hands shook when he saw that it was Hannah calling.

“Hannah?”

“Adam, I have good news… she’s yours.”

Adam dropped the phone and scrambled to find it under the desk amid stacks of remaindered books.

By the time he found it, his face was covered in tears, and he could hear Hannah laughing on the other end of the line, “Adam? Adam! Did you drop the phone?! People always drop the phone! This is my favorite part!”

“She’s really ours…?” He couldn’t believe it.

“Yes, Adam. All the approvals came through. I’m going to be telling her current foster parents right after we get off the phone – they’re my next call. This happened just in time. If we hadn’t pushed this through now, Opal would have had to move to a group home because her current placement ends officially tomorrow. She should already be packed and everything. I’ll bring her to your house tomorrow at noon. Hope you’re ready!”

“We’re ready! We’re definitely ready!” The tears were still streaming down his face.

“Call me if you need anything. And Adam, congratulations.”

Adam hung up the phone and stared into space. They’d done it. Opal was theirs.

He had to tell Ronan. 

He raced around the counter, tripping over a pile of books, and pushed through the door, not even stopping to lock the door or flip the sign to ‘Closed.’ 

He ran the five blocks up the hill to the bar, and burst through the door.

“Mr. Parrish!” Malory greeted him jovially from behind the bar, “You’re looking positively… _manic_.”

Adam gasped for breath, “Ro… where…?”

_Shit. He needed to start running with Ronan._

“He’s in the kitchen finishing up the inventory,” Malory replied, a look of concern on his face.

Adam couldn’t manage to gasp out a _thank you_ so he saluted the older man, crashed through the kitchen door, and slammed directly into a very solid body. He fell to the floor.

“Jesus, are you OK?” Ronan knelt over Adam’s prone form, “What the fuck is wrong with you? If I had been Noah I think you would have flattened him.”

Adam took a heaving breath, “We got her! We got her! She’s coming home tomorrow!”

Ronan’s eyes widened and he gripped Adam’s arms, “Opal?”

“No, the fucking Queen!” Adam gasped out a laugh, “Yes, Opal. Hannah is bringing her home to us tomorrow.”

Ronan wrapped his arms around Adam and held on tightly. They were both crying now.

Noah picked that moment to walk in the back door to the kitchen. He surveyed the crying men on the floor and took a sip of his energy drink.

“Is this good crying… bad crying…? I need to know how to modulate my reaction here, guys.”

Adam looked over Ronan’s shaking shoulder, “Good crying, Noah. We’ve been approved to foster Opal.”

Noah raised his can, smiling, “Cheers to that! An armadillo of your very own!”

Ronan pulled Adam off the floor, and grabbed a kitchen towel to wipe the tears off his face, “Noah, finish the inventory.”

He turned to Adam, “Let’s get everything ready for our girl.”

**

Adam had jogged back down the hill and properly closed up the shop for the day – leaving a handwritten note of apology on the door. Then they spent the rest of the afternoon getting Opal’s room ready. It was a sun-filled, airy room down the hall from their own, painted a soft green and looking out into the trees in the backyard – close enough if she needed them, but far enough away that everyone had their privacy. Ronan wanted to immediately run out and buy her clothes and video games and anything else he could think of, but Adam suggested that she would already be overwhelmed tomorrow without showering her with gifts, and she also would probably like to pick things out herself. Ronan agreed, he was just so excited – he was nearly vibrating.

Adam wrapped his arms around him, “Breathe, ok? You’re going to give yourself a stroke if you don’t calm down.”

Ronan took in a deep breath and let it out shakily. He rested against Adam’s shoulder, “Yeah. I just don’t know what to do now. How are we supposed to wait until tomorrow?”

Adam kissed the top of his head, “Why don’t you bake something? That always calms you down, and it would be nice for Opal.”

He felt Ronan nodding his head against him, “Yeah, yeah – good idea. Wanna help?”

Adam snorted, “Let’s not poison our daughter the first day.”

Ronan raised his head and stared into Adam’s eyes, awestruck, “Our daughter.”

Adam swallowed hard, the truth of it hitting him anew, “Our daughter.”

**

Adam was disappointed that he and Ronan hadn’t gotten to be the ones to tell Opal that she would be coming to live with them, but there were certain procedures that had to be followed. Hannah had called her foster parents and explained the situation, and arranged to visit Opal that afternoon to tell her in person. Adam had texted her that night.

Adam Parrish [7:02pm]: Hannah, I’m sorry to bother you after work hours. I was just hoping you might be able to tell me how Opal reacted? I understand completely if you can’t.

Hannah Cohen [7:08pm]: Hi Adam, it’s totally fine. Opal was… shocked I guess is the best word. She obviously had no idea this was even an option on the table (well done, you).

Adam Parrish [7:08pm]: Did she seem happy about it?

Hannah Cohen [7:09pm]: I don’t think she was able to process it, really. She’s been through a lot – try not to take it personally if she’s a little guarded tomorrow. It might take awhile to sink in.

Adam Parrish [7:09pm]: I get it. Thank you for everything.

Hannah Cohen [7:09pm]: My pleasure, Adam – truly. Finding people like you and Ronan for these kids is why I do this job. I’ll see you tomorrow!

Adam Parrish [7:09pm]: Goodnight.

**

They both woke early, filled with nerves. Ronan made them breakfast, which neither was able to eat. By noon they’d given up any pretense of acting normal, instead just standing at the front windows watching the street. When Hannah’s car pulled up in front of the house, Ronan grabbed Adam’s hand and gripped it, his knuckles white.

Adam squeezed his hand back and tried to breathe, “It’s Opal. It’s just Opal. We know her. She’s a little doofus who sounds like a walking encyclopedia. And she likes us. _We know she likes us_. It’s going to be fine.” He was trying to soothe himself as much as Ronan.

Ronan turned to him, and Adam had never seen him look so insecure, “She does, right? She likes us?”

“Yes, she likes us. I mean, _she thinks we’re idiots_ , but she still likes us,” Adam managed to huff out a half-hearted laugh, not sounding as convinced as he’d like.

They gripped each other harder at the sound of the doorbell.

“If I do the thing where I can’t stop talking, kick me, OK?” Adam whispered.

Ronan nodded mutely and they managed to somehow move as a unit to the door. Adam pulled it open to find Hannah smiling brightly, and Opal standing a couple steps below her. She looked up at Adam, only briefly meeting his eyes, before looking away nervously.

Hannah was clearly used to the awkwardness of these meetings and greeted them both warmly, bustling in the door with Opal in tow. She took charge of the situation, steering them to the couch and announcing that she would bring the rest of Opal’s belongings in while they talked. Ronan rose to offer his help and she firmly pushed him back down on the couch, “Nope, you guys talk. I’ve got the bags covered.”

“It’s not that much,” Opal added, her voice a whisper of what it normally was.

Ronan nodded dumbly and Hannah softly closed the front door behind her as she slipped out.

The three looked at each other. None of them seemed to know where to start.

Opal finally broke the silence, staring down at the floor, “You didn’t tell me.”

Ronan and Adam glanced at each other nervously. Adam cleared his throat, “We couldn’t, Opal – it was against the rules to let you know before we got approved. It was really hard not to say anything.”

“He didn’t even tell _me_ for awhile,” Ronan added.

Adam elbowed him in the side.

Opal looked up at Ronan, confused, “He didn’t _tell_ you? But.. are you OK with me staying here…?” A look of fear crossed her face.

“Yes, of course! We both want you here—” Ronan exclaimed, realizing his mistake.

Adam cut in, “We both want this, O. _So much_. I just didn’t want to get Ronan’s hopes up if we couldn’t make it happen. That’s why it was against the rules to tell you, too.”

Opal visibly relaxed a fraction, but she was still clearly on edge, “…and it’s not just because you feel sorry for me?”

“No!” they both burst out at once.

Ronan reached out and tentatively rested his broad palm on top of her head, “We’ve been trying to adopt for a long time. We want you to be part of our family, kid.”

Opal’s eyes widened, “You want to _adopt_ me… ? But… what if you change your mind?”

Adam reached out and took Opal’s hand. They were all holding onto each other now, connected in a loose triangle.

“We’re not going to change our mind. I already asked Hannah to start the paperwork. It could take some time, but we want you here. Forever.”

Ronan echoed him, his voice catching in his throat, “Forever.”

Opal’s eyes filled with tears and she threw herself at them. They wrapped their arms around her, and each other.

Adam felt something fall into place in his chest.

He felt the rightness of it.

This was his family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This didn't fit into the story, but when her formal adoption goes through, Adam and Ronan take her to the bookshop and show her the new sign.
> 
> Opal's Books


End file.
